Ovechkin: Game 6 vs. Lightning 'probably' most important of my career

Monday night's Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Lightning will be new territory for Alex Ovechkin.

The Washington Capitals captain - who's playing in his first conference finals - will be looking to help keep his team's Stanley Cup aspirations alive, and admitted it's likely the biggest game of his 13-year NHL career.

"Yeah, probably," Ovechkin replied when asked if Game 6 would be the most important contest he's played to date, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "It's two steps and you're in the Stanley Cup Final. We just have to play our best. We can't lose. They have the advantage right now, but we have to win the game and go back and play Game 7 in Tampa."

The Capitals - who trail the Lightning 3-2 in the series - will be back at home on Monday, where they lost Games 3 and 4. Still, Ovechkin expressed confidence that his team can turn things around.

"Tonight is the night," he said, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post.

With a win in Game 6, the Lightning would punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final, where the Vegas Golden Knights await. If Washington wins, Game 7 would be Wednesday night in Tampa Bay.

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